Controversial San Ġwann Bike Lane To Be ‘Fixed According To Permit’ Says Transport Minister

Controversial San Ġwann Bike Lane To Be ‘Fixed According To Permit’ Says Transport Minister

A bike lane that seemingly directs cyclists directly into the wall of a club in San Ġwann is to be fixed and ‘fully implemented’ according to the original plans, Transport Minister Ian Borg told Lovin Malta.

The new bike lane, which is part of a new network of bicycle lanes between San Ġwann and Naxxar, quickly went viral over the weekend as an image of what looked like a lane ending abruptly in a brick wall did the rounds online.

Borg has now clarified what happened as the bike lane was being painted and why it was left in an incomplete state – a vehicle was illegally parked there, “obstructing the painters” from completing the bike lane, he told Lovin Malta.

Borg has now confirmed that the rest of the bike lane will be “fully implemented” in the coming days; the bike lane is to be connected to the existing pavement on that side road to give a continuous lane to cyclists.

He also pointed out that the new bike lane system was being built according to the approved permits. The network hopes to give cyclists an opportunity to cycle along the major road, allowing cyclists to move across central Malta easier.

Members of Bicycle Advocacy Group, a cyclist support group, had criticised the new bike lanes

After the bike lane’s image went viral, B.A.G. advised cyclists not to use the lanes, with one member saying: “Avoid like the plague – bad infrastructure costs lives”.

A meme of the bike lane also made the rounds over the weekend.

The layout for the bike lanes surrounding the roundabout near San Ġwann are based on international standards for bike lanes in busy areas

Green surfacing is recommended for bike lanes, especially in roundabouts that include side roads. The Tal-Balal Road in particular is an especially busy road, one that is currently undergoing widening to add a lane in each direction, as well as the new bike lanes.